What does criticism against the SUNS, or for that matter the Titans, have to do with community cabinet?

Have your voice heard!

What does criticism against the SUNS or for that matter the Titans have to do with community cabinet?

Firstly, it’s funny how coincidences occur. The original purpose of this article was to promote the Palaszczuk Government’s Community Cabinet meeting to be held on the Gold Coast on May 15.

We want to ensure that all professionals head to the forum as it is a unique opportunity for future city leaders to have their say on the direction of the city and engage the Government around critical areas such as job creation and job security in the city.

It is also a great opportunity to have our voices heard and showcase the city’s support for major projects. And, this article is still about wanting you to go to this forum to ensure your voice is heard.

However, there are other ways we can show that as a community we stand together. For those who didn’t watch the news on Monday, AFL legend Leigh Matthews questioned the viability of two AFL teams in Queensland, questioning the future of the Gold Coast SUNS.

His comments aren't just about our ability to sustain sporting teams, they also question the strength and support of the Gold Coast community inferring we don't have a sporting culture or more broadly a united and strong community.

Usually it would be enough for us to rebut these comments by creating a post stating our backing of the SUNS - who are YP Gold Coast partners. However, a Facebook and Twitter post did not suffice on this occasion.

Chairman of the Gold Coast SUNS, Tony Cochrane (pictured right) delivered one of the best responses to this crack at our city you will ever see, so we instead encourage you to watch his media conference because he will say it far more eloquently and humorously then we can – CLICK HERE.

Which now brings us back to our main point – what does criticism against the SUNS or for that matter the Titans have to do with community cabinet? Well, a lot!

Tony notes that we are the Australia’s sixth largest urban centre and still one of the country’s fastest growing cities. However, the continued criticism directed at the Gold Coast implies that we don’t have a community that supports local teams, that it has no soul, substance or history. Quite frankly, these comments are so far off the mark it’s laughable.

The Gold Coast is an incredible place to work and live with a lifestyle that is envied globally. Simply, if you are setting up a business in Australia this is the place to be.

That is why whether it’s supporting our local football teams, getting heard at a state level or being noticed federally, it’s time that we, as a community, back the city that we love.

The reason the YP committee was formed was because we all truly believe that right now the Gold Coast is one of the most exciting places to build a career (and life) due to the extraordinary amount of opportunities to be found here and the freedom offered to really start something fresh and new.

Which is why we want your help over the coming weeks to ensure our voices are heard.

At the community cabinet meeting on Sunday 15th May, help us get the ball rolling by asking this question to start with:

The Commonwealth Games is set to inject $2 billion into the Queensland economy and support around 30,000 jobs – what is the Government planning to ensure local business owners, families and workers are able to leverage the Games post event?

The message we need to get across is that we need to get projects rolling now to avoid any post-game slump and keep the momentum of the past 18-months going.

Then over the coming weeks make sure you head to the Titans or the SUNS – or both preferably – and show that as a community we back our city and believe in its potential.